E-readers hit the boardroom with the business based QUE

Amazon’s Kindle and Barnes & Noble’s Nook are great green gadgets because they reduce waste created from the printing and shipping of actual books. Plastic Logic’s QUE aims to do the same in the business world.

The QUE is aimed at the business professional who would rather carry a device than a stack of papers and spreadsheets. The maker of the QUE, Plastic Logic, will finally unveil the e-reader at the Consumer Electronics Show on January 7.

Unlike other devices the QUE uses plastic based circuitry instead of silicone. The result is a stronger, flexible, and lighter e-reader than those with glass screens. An iPhone-like touchscreen lets users turn pages and typing is done on a virtual keyboard.

Usually the “smaller the better” rule applies to gadgets but that isn’t true for the 8.5x11 inch size QUE. It can display regular sized documents like PDFs and or anything from the Microsoft Office suite without changing the document’s formatting. The Kindle DX can’t do that and often forces users to scale documents or mindlessly scroll around.

In addition to its business centric features, QUE owners will be able to wirelessly download content via AT&T’s 3G network or by wi-fi. Formats like ePub and eReader are supported as well as other printable formats like e-mail, calendar, HTML (e.g., maps), RTF and Microsoft Visio.

Content will sold via the QUE store which promises to offer “business and leisure content including newspapers, magazines, trade journals, web publications and ebooks.” In a twist of irony the store will be run by Amazon’s e-reader nemesis, Barnes & Noble. Other content partners include CIOWorld, the Financial Times, Macworld, NetworkWorld, PC World, Popular Science and USA Today.

Plastic Logic will sell the QUE on their web site and at Barnes & Noble stores. More information should be revealed next week but many are speculating a price tag between $400 to $800.